Ok, so I'm sort of a weeny, and I know it. I'm not the slightest bit afraid of roller coasters, going up in tall buildings, etc., I'm not afraid of the Grand Canyon if I'm just standing there looking at it from a few feet back. But I can't hack roads with no guardrail and 1000+ foot dropoffs. In fact, I think anyone who can drive roads like this must be a few fries short of a happy meal. So does anybody have suggestions for seeing beautiful scenery CO has to offer without driving any really scary roads?

Do NOT drive the Million Dollar Highway 550 between Ouray and Durango.

Do NOT drive Independence Pass Hwy 84 between Aspen and Ballton.

Interstate 70 between Grand Junction and Denver is scenic and you should be ok. Interstate 25 from border to border will be very safe, but IMHO you see the same scenery for a long time.

But then again you're taking advise from someone a few fries short of a happy meal!

Utahtea

acrpntr - Will you be the driver or the passenger? I think I could "passenge" but I would probably be right with you if I had to drive! Maybe the scenery will be so beautiful it will cure your fear!

I am really posting because your phrase "a few fries short of a happy meal" has to be the funniest thing I have heard for awhile!

Reneeinva.... interesting post.

I love driving these types of roads, but being a passenger drives me insane. Loss of control thing, I guess.

Also driving I-70 from Denver to Vail shouldn't be a problem. Don't do Independence Pass, needless to say. Or Berthoud Pass. But Vail Pass is not scary. You could probably drive all the way to Aspen and be ok. Glenwood Canyon is gorgeous, and no problem with heights there. Probably you can't do Trail Ridge Road either, which is really a shame. Are you sure you can't get over the fear in order to see the amazing scenery?

I have height issues and had trouble being the driver on many of the roads named in this post! DH did most of the driving needless to say.

My solution? iPod. Close eyes. Breath in. Breath out.

I'm a Denverite who has had increasing problems over the last 10 years with fear of heights (or agoraphobia, not that it matters).

The Million Dollar Highway and Independence Pass are "do-nots." Also you probably would not enjoy Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park - I got halfway through it last year (with husband driving), and finally had to tell my husband he could let me off and drive the rest of the way with the kids, and pick me up on the way back.

I-70 goes west through the mountains. Going west is not really a problem, as your car is on the inside of the mountain. Going east, there's only one stretch that bothers me, and that's the last mile before (on the west side of) the Eisenhower Tunnel (no guardrail, and quite a dropoff). It's doable for me, though, since the distance is short. You'll never catch me driving in the right-hand lane, though!

The best suggestion for seeing the beautiful Colorado scenery is by foot - take any short or long trail into the mountains, and it will be better than any road, with or without a dropoff!

Isn't acrophobia fear of heights?

Yes, it is. But I'm more comfortable with heights and dropoffs if they're "enclosed" - for example, a steep hiking trail that's in a gully or that has trees on both sides. But if it's a wide-open slope with nothing but gravel for several thousand feet, I have real problems (like Trail Ridge Road). Another example, I'm ok with chairlifts that go up valleys or between trees, but I develop serious sweaty palms on a chairlift that runs on top of a ridge. That's why it might be agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) more than acrophobia. Not that it really matters - I'm nervous whatever you call it!

I think you might have a fear of edges (I don’t know if there’s a name for it or not). My Dad was a private pilot and had no problems flying in his small plane, even with the doors off. But you couldn’t get him within 100 yards of any overlook at the Grand Canyon.

I’m going to start a suggested itinerary in Denver, simply because I don’t know if you’re flying or driving. And you can break it up into as many days as you want.

Start in Denver.
Take I-25 south to Colorado Springs.
Turn west on Hwy 24 and follow Hwy 24 to Buena Vista.
Go south on Hwy 285 through Poncha Springs and turn onto Hwy 17 about 27 miles south of Poncha Springs.
Follow Hwy 17 for about 25-30 miles and watch for signs to Great Sand Dunes National Monument.
Travel south out of the Sand Dunes until you get to Hwy 160.
Go east on Hwy 160 to Walsenburg.
Go north on Hwy 69 through Gardner, Westcliffe, Hillside, and Texas Creek.
Turn East on Hwy 50 through Canon City to Penrose.
Turn north on Hwy 115 to Colorado Springs.
Then north on I-25 to Denver.

This will give you a good variety of mountains and plains without any big passes. When you leave Colorado Springs on Hwy 24 you go up Ute Pass (absolutely no drop-offs) and around the north side of Pikes Peak. The Collegiate Range near Buena Vista has mountains over 14,000 feet. The drive between Poncha Springs, Walsenburg, and Texas Creek takes you down one side of the Sangre de Cristos (more 14.000 foot peaks) and back up the other side. The only part I’m not sure of is Hwy 24 between Colorado Springs and Buena Vista. The map show two passes at 9500 feet, but I don’t remember any drop-offs on either one.

A possible side trip: At Buena Vista go north on Hwy 24 and you can get beautiful mountain scenery as far as Leadville before you would have to turn around (due to a pass). You could also turn off of Hwy 24 toward Independence Pass and drive past Twin Lakes before having to turn around. The lakes have huge mountains in the background and are very scenic.

Unbridled

I knew someone like your Dad, he wouldn't look out of the third floor windows of their house because it gave him vertigo but was happy to throw himself out of an airplane to skydive.

He explained there's a difference to thinking you're going to fall and knowing you're going to

Thank you all for all the great information, and DUH! I don't know why I didn't mention where I was headed in the first place. I'm coming from New Mexico, and driving all the way through to Wyoming. So, does anyone think if I take the following route, I might get into trouble?

160 from Durango to Alamosa (with Wolf Creek Pass), 17 North to 285 to Buena Vista (with Poncha Pass), Buena Vista to Colorado Springs (with Trout Creek and Wilkerson Passes)Then I would probably just go straight up 25 from there. Apart from being *safe* (if it is) does anyone think this route would it be pretty enough to warrant the extra time?

I have this nightmare where I get on a road with a dropoff next to it, and I can't turn around and I can't go forward because I'm petrified. I guess someone would have to come and airlift me off the mountain just to get me out of traffic...

I mean, "Whoa, oooh, kinda scary, eek" are probably roads I can handle, but sucking-air-in-audibly, "Oh *&^%!!! I'm gonna die" are ones I'd do better to stay away from. Plus it would be a community service to others travelling through the area to keep me away from them.

You're going to miss the best scenery Colorado, and other states, have to offer.

As a flatlander from Texas, I felt the same way the first time we visited the Rockies but every year I'm less afraid and enjoy it more and more.

Go as a passenger and give yourself a chance to get used to it.

Thank you for this post. I have the SAME problem and I LOVE Colorado, I just spend a lot of time in fear that there will be a drop off around the next bend. So I looked it up and Acrophobia actually means fear/phobia of peak/summit/edge... so there we go! People tell me I am crazy b/c I can do an Air Tram and Roller Coaster with excitement but those dang mountains give me shortness of breath, sweaty everything and electric shocks running up my legs.

Anyway, so helpful as my next vacation is almost the exact same - Denver - Colorado Springs - Salida/Buena Vista and then down to Sante Fe NM and Albuquerque. Good Luck.

Karnsmeyer, Do you realize that you have responded to a 13 year old postings. Most if not all of the prior information is out of date and some of it is just simply wrong. How do you find a 13 year old posting? If you need up to date info, post a new question.

LOL, apparently I am very resourceful. No, actually I found it via a google search and did not realize until after posting how old it was. None-the-less it's very helpful.. All the points made appear to be still relevant as I do not believe much of the topography of the area has change and the roads are all still there

Well, I can't speak for Colorado roads specifically, but in states with mountains and cliffs, roads can and are changed, sometimes drastically. My state (Oregon) just funded a big transportation package ($5.3 billion) and will be addressing seismic retrofitting as part of that. In California, slides caused a huge closure at Big Sur.

Engineers may need to change the route to solve problems like slides or seismic retrofitting. Their end results will be safer, but the feeling of a dropoff might increase for you and others with this fear. If you are planning to take one of these routes mentioned above, you would be wise to create a new post, and ask for confirmation.